bucket list

noun

: a list of things that one has not done before but wants to do before dying

Examples of bucket list in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Scott’s remains the quintessential Pee Dee South Carolina barbecue experience and a must-visit entry on any Southern barbecue bucket list. Robert F. Moss, Southern Living, 17 Sep. 2025 The aroma already evoked a sensorial childhood memory in Wade, riding in the backseat of his father’s car but the partnership also checked off a dream item from his bucket list. Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 15 Sep. 2025 Next up on her travel bucket list? Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025 But Isabel's life gets upended when her sister unexpectedly dies — especially after Isabel uncovers her sibling's unfinished bucket list. Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for bucket list

Word History

Etymology

from the phrase kick the bucket (to die)

First Known Use

2006, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bucket list was in 2006

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bucket list.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bucket%20list. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!